Thursday, May 18, 2017

The Lutheran Hour Ministries in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States Daily Devotion by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour - May 19, 2017 "We Are Healed"

The Lutheran Hour Ministries in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States Daily Devotion by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour - May 19, 2017 "We Are Healed"
It was only a few days ago that I first heard the name of a company...
It was only a few days ago that I first heard the name of a company...
 
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Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour "We Are Healed" for Friday, May 19, 2017
Isaiah 53:5 - But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.
It was only a few days ago that I first heard the name of a company GlaxoSmithKline.
GlaxoSmithKline is a pharmaceutical company that has spent millions of dollars, and many years, developing a vaccine -- a special and unique vaccine -- a vaccine against malaria.
Now malaria might not be a big deal where you are living right now. Annually, the U.S. works with less than 2,000 malaria cases, and most of those are travelers who contracted the disease while they were overseas.
In Africa things are different. Each year malaria infects more than 200 million individuals.
And the mortality rate? Every year 500,000 people die from the dreaded disease. Maybe I should say 500,000 children succumb to the sickness; children are malaria's easiest victims.
But now there is hope. GlaxoSmithKline is testing its vaccine in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. Children, aged five to 17 months will be given the four necessary doses of the vaccine. Africa's Director of the World Health Organization has said that if the vaccine works in the real world "tens of thousands of lives will be saved each year."
The important words in that last sentence are 
if the vaccine works.
When I read that article about the malaria vaccine, I said a prayer that it be effective. I also said a prayer offering up thanks that the Savior's blood is the Lord's vaccine that saves us from the certain death, which comes because we have been infected by sin.
When Jesus rose from the dead on Resurrection
Sunday, it was a sign to the world that the souls of humanity no longer had to die because they had been infected by sin. Death and grave had been conquered by God's gracious act of sending His Son as our Substitute.
Because of Jesus there was now a medicine that could reduce sin's 100-percent death rate to zero.
Of course, before that zero percent figure could be reached, certain things had to happen. First, those who understood what God had done for them had to share the saving message with those who did not know. The story of salvation had to go into the world and be told. That was hard, but not impossible.
The second thing which had to happen was harder -- much harder.
The Holy Spirit had to open unbelieving hearts and get them to believe Jesus, the Savior, could wash away their sins and restore their spiritual health. It is for the success of both those steps we pray.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, today I pray that lives may be saved by this new anti-malaria vaccine. Even more I pray Christians may be bold in sharing Jesus' story of salvation with a lost world. Then, wherever the Gospel is shared, may hearts be opened and believe they are healed through Your Son's sacrifice and Your great grace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written for Newser and Wire editors for Newser on April 24, 2017. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written. Please click here
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: 2 Samuel 21-22; Psalms 18; John 6:22-40
2 Samuel 21:1 In David’s time there was a famine that lasted three years, and David consulted Adonai. Adonai said, “It is because of Sha’ul and his bloodstained house, because he put to death the people of Giv‘on.” 2 The king summoned the Giv‘onim and said to them — these Giv‘onim were not part of the people of Isra’el but from the remnant of the Emori; and the people of Isra’el had sworn to them; but Sha’ul, in his zeal for the people of Isra’el and Y’hudah, had sought to exterminate them — 3 David said to the Giv‘onim, “What should I do for you? With what should I make atonement, so that you will be able to bless Adonai’s heritage?” 4 The Giv‘onim said to him, “Our dispute with Sha’ul can’t be resolved with silver or gold; and we don’t have the right to put anyone in Isra’el to death.” He said, “So, what do you say that I should do for you?” 5 They answered the king, “The man who ruined us, who schemed against us so that we would cease to exist anywhere in Isra’el’s territory — 6 have seven of his male descendants handed over to us, and we will put them to death by hanging before Adonai in Giv‘ah of Sha’ul, whom Adonai chose.” The king said, “I will hand them over.” 7 But the king spared M’fivoshet, the son of Y’honatan the son of Sha’ul, because of the oath before Adonai between David and Y’honatan the son of Sha’ul. 8 The king took the two sons of Ritzpah the daughter of Ayah, whom she bore to Sha’ul, Armoni and M’fivoshet; and the five sons of Mikhal the daughter of Sha’ul, whom she bore to Adri’el the son of Barzillai the Mecholati; 9 and handed them over to the Giv‘onim, who hanged them on the hill before Adonai. All seven died; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest season, at the beginning of the barley harvest. 10 Ritzpah the daughter of Ayah took sackcloth, spread it out toward a cliff for herself and stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until water was poured out on the bodies from the sky, not letting the birds land on them during the day or the wild animals at night.
11 David was told what Ritzpah the daughter of Ayah, the concubine of Sha’ul, had done. 12 So David went and took the bones of Sha’ul and the bones of Y’honatan his son from the men of Yavesh-Gil‘ad, who had stolen them from the open square of Beit-Sh’an, where the P’lishtim had hanged them at the time the P’lishtim had killed Sha’ul at Gilboa; 13 and he brought up from there the bones of Sha’ul and the bones of Y’honatan his son. They also gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. 14 Then they buried the bones of Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son in the territory of Binyamin in Tzela, in the tomb of Kish his father; they did everything the king ordered. Only after that was God prevailed on to show mercy to the land.
15 Once again the P’lishtim made war on Isra’el. David went down with his servants and fought against the P’lishtim, but David began to get tired. 16 Yishbi-B’nov, one of the sons of the giant, said that he would kill David; his spear weighed seven pounds, and he was wearing new armor. 17 But Avishai the son of Tz’ruyah came to David’s rescue by striking the P’lishti and killing him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You must no longer go out with us to battle, in order not to quench the lamp of Isra’el.” 18 A while after this there was again war with the P’lishtim, at Gov. Sibkhai the Hushati killed Saf, one of the sons of the giant. 19 There was more war with the P’lishtim at Gov; and Elchanan the son of Ya‘arei-Orgim, the Beit-Lachmi, killed Golyat the Gitti, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s beam. 20 There was again war at Gat, where there was a belligerent man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot — twenty-four in all — and he too was a son of the giant. 21 When he mocked Isra’el, Y’honatan the son of Shim‘ah David’s brother killed him. 22 These four were sons of the giant in Gat; they fell at the hands of David and his servants.
22:1 David said the words of this song to Adonai on the day Adonai delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from the power of Sha’ul. 2 He said:
“Adonai is my Rock, my fortress and deliverer,
3 the God who is my Rock, in whom I find shelter,
my shield, the power that saves me,
my stronghold and my refuge.
My savior, you have saved me from violence.
4 I call on Adonai, who is worthy of praise;
and I am saved from my enemies.
5 “For death’s breakers were closing over me,
the floods of B’liya‘al terrified me,
6 the ropes of Sh’ol were wrapped around me,
the snares of death lay there before me.
7 In my distress I called to Adonai;
yes, I called to my God.
Out of his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry entered his ears.
8 “Then the earth quaked and shook,
the foundations of heaven trembled.
They were shaken because he was angry.
9 Smoke arose in his nostrils;
and from his mouth, devouring fire,
with coals blazing from it.
10 He lowered heaven and came down
with thick darkness under his feet.
11 He rode on a keruv and flew,
he was seen on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his canopy around him,
thick clouds in the skies dense with water.
13 From the brightness before him,
fiery coals flamed out.
14 “Adonai thundered from heaven,
Ha‘Elyon sounded his voice.
15 He sent out arrows and scattered them;
with lightning he routed them.
16 The channels of the sea appeared,
the foundations of the world were exposed
at Adonai’s rebuke,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
17 “He sent from on high, he took me
and pulled me out of deep water;
18 he rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from those who hated me, for they were stronger than I.
19 They came against me on my day of calamity,
but Adonai was my support.
20 “He brought me out to an open place;
he rescued me, because he took pleasure in me.
21 Adonai rewarded me for my uprightness,
he repaid me because my hands were clean.
22 “For I have kept the ways of Adonai,
I have not done evil by leaving my God;
23 for all his rulings were before me,
I did not depart from his regulations.
24 I was pure-hearted toward him
and kept myself from my sin.
25 “Hence Adonai repaid me for my uprightness,
according to my purity in his view.
26 With the merciful, you are merciful;
with the champion of purity, you are pure;
27 with the honest, you are honest;
but with the crooked you are cunning.
28 People afflicted, you save;
but when your eyes are on the haughty, you humble them.
29 “For you, Adonai, are my lamp;
Adonai lights up my darkness.
30 With you I can run through a whole troop of men,
with my God I can leap a wall.
31 “As for God, his way is perfect,
the word of Adonai has been tested by fire;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God but Adonai,
and who is a Rock but our God?
33 “God is my strength and protection;
he makes my way go straight.
34 He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deer
and enables me to stand on my high places.
35 He trains my hands for war
until my arms can bend a bow of bronze;
36 You give me your shield, which is salvation;
your answers make me great.
37 You lengthen the steps I can take,
yet my ankles do not turn.
38 “I pursued my enemies and wiped them out,
without turning back until they were destroyed.
39 I destroyed them, crushed them; they can’t get up;
they have fallen under my feet.
40 “For you braced me with strength for the battle
and bent down my adversaries beneath me.
41 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
so that I could destroy those who hate me.
42 “They looked, but there was no one to help,
even to Adonai, but he didn’t answer.
43 I pulverized them like dust on the ground,
pounded and stamped on them like mud in the streets.
44 “You also freed me from the quarrels of my people.
You kept me to be the head of the nations;
a people I did not know now serve me.
45 Foreigners come cringing to me;
the moment they hear of me, they obey me.
46 Foreigners lose heart as they stagger from their fortresses.
47 “Adonai is alive! Blessed is my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock of my salvation,
48 the God who gives me vengeance
and makes peoples submit to me.
49 He brings me out from my enemies.
You raise me over those who rebel against me,
you rescue me from violent men.
50 “So I give thanks to you, Adonai, among the nations;
I sing praises to your name.
51 He is a tower of salvation for his king;
he displays grace to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.”
Psalm 18:
(0) For the leader. By David the servant of Adonai, who addressed the words of this song to Adonai on the day when Adonai delivered him from the power of all his enemies, including from the power of Sha’ul. 2 He said:
(1) “I love you, Adonai, my strength!
3 (2) “Adonai is my Rock, my fortress and deliverer,
my God, my Rock, in whom I find shelter,
my shield, the power that saves me,
my stronghold.
4 (3) I call on Adonai, who is worthy of praise;
and I am saved from my enemies.
5 (4) “For the cords of death surrounded me,
the floods of B’liya‘al terrified me,
6 (5) the ropes of Sh’ol were wrapped around me,
the snares of death lay there before me.
7 (6) In my distress I called to Adonai;
I cried out to my God.
Out of his temple he heard my voice;
my cry reached his ears.
8 (7) “Then the earth quaked and shook,
the foundations of the mountains trembled.
They were shaken because he was angry.
9 (8) Smoke arose in his nostrils;
out of his mouth came devouring fire;
sparks blazed forth from him.
10 (9) He lowered heaven and came down
with thick darkness under his feet.
11 (10) He rode on a keruv; he flew,
swooping down on the wings of the wind.
12 (11) He made darkness his hiding-place,
his canopy thick clouds dark with water.
13 (12) From the brightness before him,
there broke through his thick clouds
hailstones and fiery coals.
14 (13) “Adonai also thundered in heaven,
Ha‘Elyon sounded his voice —
hailstones and fiery coals.
15 (14) He sent out arrows and scattered them,
shot out lightning and routed them.
16 (15) The channels of water appeared,
the foundations of the world were exposed
at your rebuke, Adonai,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
17 (16) “He sent from on high, he took me
and pulled me out of deep water;
18 (17) he rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from those who hated me,
for they were stronger than I.
19 (18) They came against me on my day of disaster,
but Adonai was my support.
20 (19) He brought me out to an open place;
he rescued me, because he took pleasure in me.
21 (20) Adonai rewarded me for my uprightness,
he repaid me because my hands were clean.
22 (21) “For I have kept the ways of Adonai,
I have not done evil by leaving my God;
23 (22) for all his rulings were before me,
I did not distance his regulations from me.
24 (23) I was pure-hearted with him
and kept myself from my sin.
25 (24) “Hence Adonai repaid me for my uprightness,
according to the purity of my hands in his view.
26 (25) With the merciful, you are merciful;
with a man who is sincere, you are sincere;
27 (26) with the pure, you are pure;
but with the crooked you are cunning.
28 (27) People afflicted, you save;
but haughty eyes, you humble.
29 (28) “For you, Adonai, light my lamp;
Adonai, my God, lights up my darkness.
30 (29) With you I can run through a whole troop of men,
with my God I can leap a wall.
31 (30) “As for God, his way is perfect,
the word of Adonai has been tested by fire;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
32 (31) “For who is God but Adonai?
Who is a Rock but our God?
33 (32) “It is God who girds me with strength;
he makes my way go straight.
34 (33) He makes me swift, sure-footed as a deer,
and enables me to stand on my high places.
35 (34) He trains my hands for war
until my arms can bend a bow of bronze;
36 (35) “You give me your shield, which is salvation,
your right hand holds me up,
your humility makes me great.
37 (36) You lengthen the steps I can take,
yet my ankles do not turn.
38 (37) “I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
without turning back until they were destroyed.
39 (38) I crushed them, so that they can’t get up;
they have fallen under my feet.
40 (39) “For you braced me with strength for the battle
and bent down my adversaries beneath me.
41 (40) You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed those who hated me.
42 (41) “They cried out, but there was no one to help,
even to Adonai, but he didn’t answer.
43 (42) I pulverized them like dust in the wind,
threw them out like mud in the streets.
44 (43) “You also freed me from the quarrels of my people.
You made me head of the nations;
a people I did not know now serve me —
45 (44) the moment they hear of me, they obey me,
foreigners come cringing to me.
46 (45) Foreigners lose heart
as they come trembling from their fortresses.
47 (46) “Adonai is alive! Blessed is my Rock!
Exalted be the God of my salvation,
48 (47) the God who avenges me
and subdues peoples under me.
49 (48) He delivers me from my enemies.
You lift me high above my enemies,
you rescue me from violent men.
50 (49) “So I give thanks to you, Adonai, among the nations;
I sing praises to your name.
51 (50) Great salvation he gives to his king;
he displays grace to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.”
 
John 6:1 The next day, the crowd which had stayed on the other side of the lake noticed that there had been only one boat there, and that Yeshua had not entered the boat with his talmidim, but that the talmidim had been alone when they sailed off. 23 Then other boats, from Tiberias, came ashore near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had made the b’rakhah. 24 Accordingly, when the crowd saw that neither Yeshua nor his talmidim were there, they themselves boarded the boats and made for K’far-Nachum in search of Yeshua.
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Yeshua answered, “Yes, indeed! I tell you, you’re not looking for me because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate the bread and had all you wanted! 27 Don’t work for the food which passes away but for the food that stays on into eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For this is the one on whom God the Father has put his seal.”
28 So they said to him, “What should we do in order to perform the works of God?” 29 Yeshua answered, “Here’s what the work of God is: to trust in the one he sent!”
30 They said to him, “Nu, what miracle will you do for us, so that we may see it and trust you? What work can you perform?
31 Our fathers ate man in the desert — as it says in the Tanakh, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[
John 6:31 Psalm 78:24; Nehemiah 9:15]
32 Yeshua said to them, “Yes, indeed! I tell you it wasn’t Moshe who gave you the bread from heaven. But my Father is giving you the genuine bread from heaven; 33 for God’s bread is the one who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread from now on.” 35 Yeshua answered, “I am the bread which is life! Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever trusts in me will never be thirsty. 36 I told you that you have seen but still don’t trust. 37 Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will certainly not turn away. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do not my own will but the will of the One who sent me. 39 And this is the will of the One who sent me: that I should not lose any of all those he has given me but should raise them up on the Last Day. 40 Yes, this is the will of my Father: that all who see the Son and trust in him should have eternal life, and that I should raise them up on the Last Day.”
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